The Book Fairy
by Infinite Skye
Summary: "Hello, I am Kuroko Tetsuya, the book fairy and guardian of this book." Kuroko introduced. Aomine only stared at him. Book? What did he mean by book? "But…isn't this a porn mag?" And Horikita Mai came flying at his face.


**_Fic cross-posted from Basketballpoetsociety's Misdirection contest of 2014! _**

**_The following fic has received the Judge's Prize with the award of a pick-your-own KnB merchandise! I can't wait to get it! _**

* * *

_Loser._

A blue-eyed boy stared at the dried popsicle stick on the ground, now park litter from being abandoned by an irresponsible citizen. In the citizen's eyes, it was simply a worthless piece of wood, a sentiment shared by most of the population that bothered to gorge themselves on popsicles. However, this one happened to be even less than worthless-because it had_ Loser_ inscribed on it.

Being a taboo in this highly competitive urban jungle, that word was capable of ruining someone's day.

So in retaliation, it was thrown away-forgotten.

_Loser._

It was a word more hurtful than worthless.

The boy's expression stayed blank.

"But even so, it's not good to litter." He uttered.

_You have to put it back._

.0.

Summer was ending.

At the Aomine household, the alarm went off at who-knows-how-late as a tanned arm rummaged lazily above the thin covers of a summer blanket, reaching for the headrest before coming down on the incessant ringing with a heavy hand.

"Augh,"Aomine groaned, gripping the alarm as he turned to read.

It was already two o' clock.

He sighed, knowing he would probably never live to see another day if his mom caught him, Aomine begrudgingly heaved himself off the bed. His toes reached the cool wooden floor as his eyes cracked open, ready to embrace the bland view of his dim bedroom-until they came face to face with a pair of light-blue eyes, blank with soul-skinning depth.

Aomine jerked back. "Whoa!" He exclaimed, finally noticing that there was a person in his room, sitting politely in seiza as his whorl of spiky blue hair tilted curiously in response.

Who the hell was he?!

"Um, are you okay?" The teen, sporting the same school blazer as him asked, as if nothing was possibly strange about a stranger sitting in your room and potentially watching you snore like a pig.

"No?! Who are you? Why are you in my room?!" Aomine demanded, ready to point fingers at his mother, the devil herself, easily granting people access to his room on daily bases.

He already suffered enough when Momoi barged into his room while he was reading por—gravure magazines. For weeks did he have to endure uncomfortable stares by his childhood friend until he somehow managed to convince that no he was not attracted to her D-cup boobs unless they were F-cup melons filled with hopes and dreams.

She stopped drinking milk for a while afterwards.

He could only wonder why.

However, this incident did manage to slightly educate him as he realized that at his age, the "child in puberty" excuse may not cut it and he wasn't going to try.

Probably give it a few more months.

Reflexively, Aomine scanned the room, checking to see if he had any of them lying around before much to his horror, he found one right in front of the blank-faced boy.

He held his breath. Oh no, did he have to resort to death threats? Yet, before Aomine could use his perfectly-formed gangster visage, lower his voice, and whisper certain doom upon the male if he tattled, his prey made his move first.

He placed a hand on the magazine.

Aomine backtracked.

"Ah, I'm sorry for the lack of introduction." The boy said. "I am Kuroko Tetsuya, the book fairy and guardian of this book." He calmly stated as though that was, not at all, absurd.

Aomine stared at him, taking a while to process his words. "...You're not serious are you?"

"…No, I am. Is there a problem?" He bluntly asked.

However, instead of going off a rant on all the obvious ways why that couldn't be true, Aomine Daiki merely pointed at the "book" and said, "well, I'm not sure if I should call it a problem but…isn't that a porn mag? If you're its fairy, why aren't you a hot girl with huge boobs?"

Horikita Mai came flying at his face.

"Ow! What did you do that for?!"

"I'm sorry, I was just appalled by Aomine-kun's idiocy." Kuroko replied, voice flat but utterly sarcastic while Aomine weighed his options of actually going gangster against him or not.

"Huh? You already know my name?" Aomine squinted as he rubbed his forehead in pain.

"Yes, because I am the book fairy of Teiko middle school; I know all the students' names." Kuroko said with a proud, omniscient gaze.

"Hah? The hell is up with that? Aren't you the fairy of this porno-"

An icy gaze fell on him.

"No, that is slightly incorrect Aomine-kun. Although I said that, I meant because I am a book fairy, the only way I can travel from one place to another is through books. You didn't have any books other than this so I was left with no choice but to reside in here." Kuroko explained.

"...I don't see how that was ever part of your explanation but fine. Then in that case, what the hell is a book fairy?" Aomine questioned.

"Ah, I suppose I should've explained that first." Kuroko mused as he placed his lips together. "Traditionally a book fairy is a fairy that resides in books, known for their infinite wealth of knowledge. However, due to the nature of books being stored in libraries, we also served as lost book finders for libraries. The library I'm part of is Teiko middle school library and Aomine-kun," he said with serious eyes, "you have an overdue book.

The teen stared into the fairy's eyes, searching for the signs of a joke yet, when he saw none, he burst out laughing. "What?! You came all the way here for that?!" He guffawed, tears threatening to form from his ridiculous reply.

Kuroko Tetsuya was unphased. "Please take this seriously Aomine-kun. Even if it sounds ridiculous to you, I take my job very seriously."

The tanned male stifled out the last of his laughs, waving an apologetic hand at the fairy. "Sorry, sorry." He coughed out, wiping off the tears. "So what? You're basically like a librarian?"

Kuroko nodded. "In a sense. I'm supposed to remind you to return your book and haunt you to certain doom if you don't. But, Aomine-kun, it seems the book you borrowed isn't here. Did you leave it somewhere?" He frowned, staring into his navy blue eyes as though he had already conducted a search in Aomine's pigsty of a room.

"Really? Then I don't know. In fact, I don't even use the library so I don't know what book I even borrowed. What's it called?" Aomine asked, muscles relaxing as he bounced off the bed, knowing the strange person was probably not a threat...to his still in-the-closet po-gravure fan lifestyle.

Ahem.

"...Aomine-kun, are you listening?"

"Huh?" Aomine stared blankly at Kuroko. "Yeah, what."

Without saying a word, Aomine knew Kuroko was judging him.

_Do you have the attention of a five year old?_

"...Like I said, you borrowed _The Heart_. It's a literary masterpiece by Natsume Soseki."

Aomine raised a brow. "The hell is that? I definitely never borrowed something as awkward as that."

"Is that so? Because that's not what it says in my records and I can't go back until you've returned it."

"Eh? Then what are you going to do?" Aomine frowned.

Kuroko shrugged. "Ah, nothing too harmful. Just, what your generation commonly says, 'you know', stalk you to the ends of the earth."

"What?"

The fairy nodded. "That's why, Aomine-kun, I suggest you to go search for the book. As a bonus and because I don't want to waste more time with you, I'll even help you."

"Why do you sound so reluctant?!"

Kuroko shrugged.

Aomine made a face. Ah, he didn't want to be bothered with searching for some lost library book he honestly didn't care for but, he didn't want that creepy thing stalking him all day for the rest of his life either.

What if he got a girl with huge breasts and was going on a date? No, what if they went farther and…just the thought of Kuroko's flat and potentially judging eyes staring at him 24/7 completely shattered his fantasies.

_No._

He was going to find that book.

"Hey, where are we going to look-" And it was then that he realized Kuroko was hardly paying attention.

Aomine's expression soured. It was not everyday that Aomine Daiki was in the mood for commitment. He felt slightly cheated. Following his gaze, Aomine noticed how Kuroko's eyes gently fell outside his window, gaze down at the pink-haired girl below.

"Oh? Isn't that Momoi Satsuki-san of class 2-D?" Kuroko mused.

"Ah? Oh yeah. Satsuki is my neighbor," Aomine explained as he joined him, the girl in a black dress coming into view with a bundle of chrysanthemums in hand. "…Huh, did she go out on a date or something?" He muttered, knowing Momoi hardly wore fancy clothing unless it was to go into town.

However, at that moment, he noticed something unusual. She was crying.

Aomine flinched.

"…Why is Momoi-san crying?" Kuroko frowned, "Aomine-kun, aren't you going to help her?" Kuroko asked.

Aomine turned to the side. "Er, I'm…not too good with things like that and actually, I kinda, got into a fight with her the other day…" he mumbled, eyes averted from the scene as he recalled how Momoi was furious over him constantly skipping basketball practice while he was adamant to never go that it resulted in a scream-fest.

In the end Aomine said something stupid and was whacked for it. Even then, he did not believe he quelled her frustration when he watched her storm off in quiet sobs.

It was a gut wrenching scene that he would never apologize for. Therefore, he didn't know if her seeing his face would make it worse or not until Kuroko firmly stated. "You can't do that Aomine-kun. She's crying. You should help."

Aomine grimaced. "I got it, I got it okay?" He frowned.

It was not as though he didn't want to. He just-ah whatever.

Aomine hastily pulled open the window, "Satsuk-"

He paused.

She was no longer there.

"…Aomine-kun you're too slow."

"...Shut up."

.0.

True to his word, Kuroko the book fairy Tetsuya soon became a daily figure in Aomine's life as he continued to follow him, completely invisible to the rest of the world.

It was from this that Aomine sparingly noticed a few things about him, namely the whole supposed fairy species and their tendencies to float in mid-air, be able to pass through objects, yet when necessary, still move small objects at will.

Oh and, might he add, Kuroko was personally, kinda terrible to him most of the time.

Unlike Momoi and the rest of the world who would at some point all bend to his will, Kuroko never did. With Kuroko, he had to be accomodating.

"Augh, not doing this." Aomine yawned, tossing his literature review booklet onto his desk before flopping on his bed.

"Aomine-kun, you can't do that. The test is in two days isn't it?" Kuroko reminded sternly.

The borderline school drop-out gave a dismissive wave as he buried his head deeper into the comfort of his pillow. "Pfft, I'll do fine." He reassured.

Kuroko didn't look convinced. "Is that so? Then I'd have to wonder exactly how low Aomine's expectation of 'fine' is when you received 4 points out of 100 last time."

Aomine lifted his head, eyes accusing. "Hah? Why do you know that?"

"Because I'm the book fairy. If the data is recorded in some form of a binded document, then I'd know of it." Kuroko concluded.

Aomine slinked back down, as though already disinterested. "Hmm, isn't that good for you...wait."

His reeled back, a sudden epiphany striking his nerves as a sly smile snaked across his lips. "Hey Tetsu, you're the book fairy right? If you know every book out there then doesn't that mean this literature test would be a cinch for you?" He deviously began.

Kuroko looked at him.

"Do you know what I'm getting at?" He continued.

Kuroko's lips morphed into a thin line. He couldn't possibly be proposing to cheat could he?

"Start telling me what this is about." Aomine finalized, tossing a worn-down book at Kuroko.

"Eh?" Kuroko blinked, immediately recognizing the title. "Umm...isn't this...The Heart?"

"Hah?"

Aomine veered up. "Seriously?!" It was right there the whole time?

"Yes, this is the one..." Kuroko continued, as if he could not believe it himself.

He promptly turned to his now erstwhile partner and bowed. "Well, it seems I've accomplished my mission. I'll take my leave now."

"Hah?" The tanned male could not process this. What? He was leaving already? That was...unexpectedly fast.

Kuroko turned for the door and easily slid through, leaving Aomine in the silence of his room.

The male blinked before returning to his bed.

Well, whatever. Without Kuroko there he would finally be able to get some peace.

Unexpectedly, peace never came.

Fifteen minutes had passed while the unusually tanned Japanese stayed on his bed, eyes showing no signs of weariness but anxiety inside.

There was a rapid-fire blink every few moments as he pondered why his muscles could not relax.

Was it because of the silence?

Did he watch some creepy horror movie?

His instincts have never failed him so how could they now?

He suddenly felt restless, a wave of frustration overpowering him as he rolled over to the other side, wondering what was missing-until remembered he needed that book for his test.

Be it because he really cared about his test results or something else entirely, Aomine bolted up from his bed like some _Shounen Jump_ protagonist, before halting anticlimatically.

...What was he doing?

"Ah, Aomine-kun, I'm glad you're still here."

Every nerve in the teen's body screamed.

He leapt back in surprise. "T-tetsu!" He choked out, startled by the fairy's sudden appearance.

"Good evening Aomine-kun." Kuroko returned nonchalantly, as though he went outside for a walk.

"Good evening? What's with that? I thought you left for good?" Aomine returned skeptically.

The fairy shook his head. "I thought I left for good as well but, it seems that this isn't the library's copy. It's the school's."

"Is there a difference?"

"...Yes."

"And so?"

Kuroko bowed. "And with that, you failing the test might make us less capable of searching for the book from make-up exams, so I will be tutoring you."

"Aren't we back to where we started?!"

Nevertheless, Kuroko fairy-sensei was quite the flexible tutor. With years of experience from a possible never-ending lifespan, he was able to cater his teaching style to Aomine's as they went through the review booklet.

However, he was not perfect.

Oddly enough Kuroko also had at least a 30% chance of getting something wrong.

Aomine guffawed as he learned, particularly Kuroko passed it off as the signs of old age with a completely straight and serious face.

What was with this guy? He was hilarious!

.0.

The day Aomine received his test results was a day of triumph. "52 out of a 100, how's this?" Aomine proudly smirked while Kuroko's expression thinned, still indecisive over whether to be supporting or appalled by his low expectations. "This is the best I've ever done!" Aomine grinned while Kuroko wanted to direct himself to the nearest brick wall.

However, it seemed that he wasn't the only one who rejoiced.

The teachers wept tears of joy.

His parents held a celebratory feast.

What was wrong with the human world?

Yet it was through this that he had at least confirmed that Aomine Daiki, lived like a king. His natural charisma was capable of drawing others towards him like the sun itself.

Still, it would be too much of stretch to say he was born with overwhelming confidence. There must've at least been something that allowed him to stay strangely pure.

As they continued their search for the book called The Heart, one day, a blond called out to Aomine, a certain sunshine ring to his saccharine voice.

"Aominecchi! I haven't seen you in a while!"

"Ah? Oh Kise, what the heck are you doing here?" Aomine asked with very slight acknowledgement.

"Ah, I'm heading over to basketball practice right now," Kise explained.

But by this time, his smile had waned, no longer at its high pedigree.

Instead his eyes showed signs of hesitation, as if for once this overly-arrogant model was worried about hurting someone'sfeelings.

Kuroko stared.

Aomine averted his gaze.

"Oh is that right?" He returned with disinterest.

Slight unease settled across Kise's pretty face. "Aominecchi…you should come with me. You haven't been to practice since that day." Kise suddenly voiced, tone growing serious.

Aomine waved him off. "No way, Kise. Didn't I already say that I'm not going? It's boring now, basketball," he said and turned on his heels.

Kise frowned. "Aominecchi!" He cried after him but to no avail.

It was only his last words that managed to linger in Aomine's mind. "Are you planning on running forever from that day?!"

Aomine ignored him.

The moment he turned a corner however, he slapped his hand over his head, digging at the roots of his hair. "Aurgh how annoying is that guy? What the hell did he mean by running?"

Kuroko blinked curiously. "What was that about?"

"Who knows?" Aomine gruffly sighed as he slinked down onto the floor.

"That was Kise Ryouta-kun right? He looked worried. Did something happen?"

Aomine pursed his lips. He wondered if he should tell the fairy. "Don't really know. Aurgh, this was the problem with Satsuki too. Both of them—no, all of them keep telling me to go back to practice but I don't want to."

"…for basketball?"

"Yeah, because there's no point. We won so easily at the national championships this year anyways. Plus, there aren't any strong people to play against anymore. That kind of basketball is boring," he sighed.

Kuroko blinked. "Strong people? Then Aomine-kun must be very good."

Aomine did not seem to take that as a compliment. "Yeah, I am. Enough that the only one who can beat me is me," he said, stating something highly arrogant with glassy eyes.

Kuroko frowned. "Aomine-kun, that's very haughty of you," he reprimanded.

Aomine merely laughed. "You're starting to sound like Satsuki now, Tetsu." He snickered but there was a slight crinkle of pain lingering in his tone.

Kuroko stayed silent.

His laughter faded.

"It's not like I wanted this either." Aomine muttered.

The fairy stayed expressionless. For a long time, he knew that despite Aomine's devil-may-care demeanor, there was something indescribably treacherous lingering in his heart. "..Then, Aomine-kun, would you like to play basketball with me for a bit?"

Aomine looked up. "What?"

"I'm curious. Plus, since you don't seem to be doing much right now anyways, let's play." Kuroko urged.

"But you're kinda…not there?" Aomine returned with words that sounded surprisingly logical.

Kuroko stayed unfazed. "Yes. I'm not here, which is why shouldn't I prove to be a better opponent? Who knows, maybe fairies are actually better at basketball than humans," Kuroko prodded, voice flat yet tantalizing.

Aomine squinted at the absurdity but realized, that he probably needed something absurd in his life-or there would be no point.

A flicker of light burned in his eyes.

He widened his lips, "You're on!"

.0.

Perhaps, this whole time he wanted an excuse to play basketball. There was something, something inside him that made him stop, that said, no matter what you do, basketball won't be fun. The moment you play, you stop making it fun for others-for yourself. In the end, you'll be like them, dead in the slaughterhouse.

Somehow, he was impressed by his own descriptive abilities.

A slaughterhouse.

Nothing else could describe basketball as well as that.

Although there was a slight hitch in this year's basketball tournament, for the most part, he and the five regulars who were soon dubbed the "Generation of Miracles", plowed across the Middle School basketball scene with ease.

His opponents knew it so well that they had stopped trying.

No one was a challenge and could be a challenge for them, for Aomine.

And so, basketball became a sport akin to a prison cell, a player's value forever chained to how they would never measure up to them.

That was not basketball.

The basketball Aomine knew was free and light like a bird. It was innocent, bright, and all those things he swore he would most likely never feel again.

His talent, his capabilities that soared above the rest only left him in a pit of despair.

So he quit.

It should have been as simple as that.

But, it wasn't.

.0.

The interesting thing about Tetsu was, first, the book fairy did not "exist".

Since him playing would look as though Aomine had psychokinesis, they changed the rules.

Even then, he sucked.

He could not get a single ball off Aomine despite the very simple rule of if he blocked him in time, he would get the ball.

Still, playing with Kuroko was fun. Kuroko never gave up. He did whatever he could to stop Aomine, even by using his body, to cause a foul.

"Hey, are you alright?" Aomine asked after wondering how a fairy can even be out of breath.

"Yes, I'm fine. Please continue. I'm not done yet. I'm certain I can get more 'points' off you." Kuroko ascertained with strange determination in those calm blue spheres.

It was the determination he never saw in the others.

Aomine laughed, impressed.

Yes, that was the way it was supposed to be. This was how basketball was supposed to be, filled with passion and fun.

As the days passed, and the two kept playing on the public courts after school, their preoccupation with basketball turned book-finding into an afterthought.

One day, they stopped searching.

Kuroko did not ask and Aomine found himself strangely relieved.

He realized he didn't want Kuroko to leave.

It was fun around this guy. Everything was right around this guy.

Like it never was anymore.

"Hey Tetsu," Aomine casually called.

"Yes?"

"Do we really have to look for the book? I'd probably be perfectly okay even with you hanging around me."

Kuroko paused at that.

Aomine stared at him. Did he not feel the same way?

Yet, before he could search his blank blue orbs for answers, Kuroko turned away, eyes covered by his bangs.

"…No Aomine-kun, we have to keep looking. I have to leave you one day."

"…"

.0.

Before it could be decided when "one day" would come, Kuroko Tetsuya accomplished a certain feat. He got Aomine to go to practice.

"Aomine?" Midorima Shintarou, Teiko's number 1 shooting guard frowned the moment he entered the gym.

Aomine smirked. "What's with that face Midorima? I thought you would be happier to see me," he greeted before Momoi suddenly ran up to him.

"Dai-ch—I mean, Aomine-kun!" She cried as Kise and Murasakibara followed suit, one with a basketball and the other with a bag of chips.

"Aominecchi, you're going to stay for practice?" Kise asked in disbelief.

"What the heck is wrong with all of you? You're annoying!" He disparaged, swatting them away.

"Well that's because we didn't expect you would ever come to practice again!" Momoi pouted.

"Well here I am," Aomine shrugged, completely unapologetic.

"Mine-chin, are you finally okay now? Everyone kept on talking about it and it's getting kinda annoying," Murasakibara bluntly stated, eyeing the rest of the staring first-stringers in distaste.

It was still really annoying.

"Huh? What do you mean, I'm totally fine." Aomine replied obliviously. Sheesh, did everyone have nothing to do with their lives? All Aomine did was stop going to practice but there were people gossiping about it?

Suddenly, their expressions grew firm.

Even Midorima's ever-permanent frown slightly deepened. "..Then that's good. Well, whatever the case, get going with practice. The coach isn't here today so Akashi will be in charge."

"Hah?! That's even more terrifying than having the coach!"

Nonetheless, Aomine complied as he turned to Kuroko and said, "Tetsu, watch this!" and showed him an arsenal of high-end moves as he went against three people, slipping past them all.

"Wow, Aomine-kun is unexpectedly amazing," Kuroko commented.

"What do you mean unexpectedly?!" Aomine barked back with a triumphant grin.

"Well generally you're very much of an idiot with your studies so…"

"Hey!"

Kuroko smiled. "Just kidding Aomine-kun. You're amazing, very amazing." He praised, highly unlike his usual blank yet sarcastic self as Aomine uncomfortably cupped the nape of his neck.

"Y-yeah…although when you say that too many times that just sounds embarrassing,"

Kuroko blinked. "Is that so? Then I'll say it more." He dauntingly smiled as Aomine began to pack up his things, ready to leave for the day until… something unexpected came out of his lips. "I'll say it more…because I might not have a chance to anymore."

Aomine looked up, surprised by the declaration.

However, Kuroko no longer seemed to be paying attention.

Instead, he was staring at a red-head from across the gym, fixated on his movements. "Aomine-kun, that person is named Akashi Seijuurou correct? I can feel it. He had the book."

Aomine paused. Ah, so it was back to book-searching again wasn't it. Somehow, the fact Kuroko prioritized the book over him left him feeling slightly bitter. Before he noticed, he had gotten used to having Kuroko around and in fact, secretly enjoyed his company.

However, it seemed that Kuroko did not feel the same after all.

...Just like basketball, he was going to leave him.

Silently, Aomine clenched his fist but because he didn't want to admit Kuroko's importance, basketball's importance, he committed to an action he could never take back again.

"Oh? Then can you tell if it's close?"

Kuroko nodded. "Probably. Please, could you follow Akashi-kun?"

And so Aomine did as Akashi Seijuurou turned heel out of the gym and headed for the courtyard.

"No problem." Aomine said, tailing him at a presumably safe distance.

They advanced to the maze of the main school until Aomine realized he was heading for the clubroom.

Huh, because he didn't want to go to practice, he didn't even think of searching for the book there.

"Yo, Daiki."

The male stopped in his tracks. He knew this voice…

"Haizaki?"

A silver-haired male smirked tauntingly at the teen. Aomine was not in the mood for this. "Isn't this near the club room? The heck are you here for?"

"Oh I was just strolling around really, not like I want to go back to that place. How about you? I thought you stopped going?"

Aomine sighed. "Well I started going again. That's all," he said, about to brush past him yet, in contrast to his irritatingly sly smile, Haizaki didn't do a thing. He only looked surprised before a dark smirk overcast his lips.

"Really? Then you're a much more cold-hearted person than I thought Daiki. Even though you lost your partner."

Aomine raised a brow. Partner? What was he going on about?

"Whatever," Aomine frowned, continuing forward as Haizaki gave him a light, somewhat sympathetic pat.

He didn't return the gesture. After all, something about his actions had bothered him.

Haizaki, didn't do anything. Although he wasn't really bad before, after he quit the team Haizaki really went down the deep end. It was surprising for the current him to not at least make some kind of remark. That said, maybe the word "partner" was supposed to be a trigger?

But what was he talking about? Aomine was always alone.

Momoi would be the closest but it was not as if he lost her. So what was he talking about?

Something grated on his nerves.

Kuroko Tetsuya floated beside him as he stomped off towards the club room.

Momoi Satsuki lingered in his mind. When he thought of Momoi, for some reason he thought of her black dress and the chrysanthemums.

He thought of her tears.

No, Momoi wouldn't date someone so easily. She wouldn't cry over a guy so easily either.

"Aomine-kun, I forgot to mention…"

Aomine didn't seem to hear him.

"Aomine-kun."

Aomine froze in his step "What!" He barked back in annoyance.

However, Kuroko did not seem to be offended. "I know this was a while back but I suddenly remember what chrysanthemums mean." He said out of the blue.

"Huh?"

"They're the flowers of mourning."

Aomine frowned. What the hell was he saying at a time like this?

Yet, he still found himself strangely occupied by his words.

Did that mean…she was at a funeral? For whom? Why didn't she get him to go with her? She knew everyone he knew for the most part because they spent their lives together.

_"Really? Then you're a much more cold-hearted person than I thought Daiki. Even though you lost your partner."_

Haizaki's words seeped into his ears.

Lost?

Was this related to the funeral?

In that case, did he know this person to the point where Haizaki regarded him as his partner?

How could that be possible?

What? He didn't remember any of this.

_"Aominecchi…you should come with me. You haven't been to practice since __**that**__ day."_

Kise's words echoed in his head.

His head hurt. He was getting closer to the club room.

_"Mine-chin, are you finally okay now? Everyone kept on talking about it and it's getting kinda annoying,"_

"Finally okay? What was even wrong?!" He growled as he inched forward, Kuroko only watching him, staring at him wordlessly.

He grabbed the doorknob, ready to twist it open.

_"Are you planning on running forever from that day?!"_

Aomine was ready to scream. "WHAT AM I RUNNING AWAY FROM?!"

The door burst open.

The room was empty, in its usual cluttered heap of equipment, desks, and tables until Aomine noticed an open-book on the desk.

"Ah, there it is. There's the book." Kuroko said, not paying his outburst any heed as he floated over, signaling Aomine to come closer.

Yet Aomine didn't want to.

There was something terrifying about the book that his whole body was spawning goosebumps.

Unable to comprehend but wanting to, he stepped forward, slow and rather unsteady for someone with his pride.

He gulped as he closed in on the book, a thick binder where there, on a single sheet of paper, was an club expulsion form…with the name "Kuroko Tetsuya" written upon it.

Aomine could no longer breathe.

He upturned his head to Kuroko, whose expression was searing with pain.

Aomine knew… he had to be the first one to speak.

**REASON OF EXPULSION:**

**Death.**

"You…this whole book fairy business…was a lie, wasn't it?" He choked out, pain brimming in his eyes.

Kuroko smiled, the sadness spilling from his lips. "I was almost convinced that you'd never figure it out. Aomine-kun, you're really an idiot aren't you? Enough that you even forgot about me."

"Shut up."

.0.

Just like they said, Kuroko Tetsuya died.

It was on a dreary day as rain pummeled and drenched the city.

By the river near Teiko Middle however, were two people whose sorrows may have as well conjured up the gloom as they stood facing the other, eyes pained like no other.

They were partners, definite two halves of a whole on the court who knew each other so well that they were deemed light and shadow. However, it was on this day that the two learned that their halves did not match, could never match.

They were past the point where basketball meant the same thing to them...the only thing they could understand each other with.

The two halves were set apart.

"I am strong," the light said, "so strong that everyone else sucks. I'm bored, this is no fun, I hate this."

"Don't say that. I'm envious of you, that's why I try so hard to catch up to you every day." The shadow said, voice fragile. "Let's go back."

The light merely laughed. "Envious? Right. You suck don't you? You can't do anything unless you have a light. You're only a shadow."

The shadow paused.

"But I'm different. I don't need you and I can beat everyone. In fact, when was the last time you passed to me?" The light cried, growing farther and farther away until finally, he was completely out of sight.

"I've…long forgotten how to receive your passes."

Those were the last words he had spoken to Kuroko.

The next day, no, the days following that were like those of a dream.

Apparently, unlike him who had walked off and away to return to the school and pack up his things, Kuroko never returned.

He died.

There was a traffic accident on that road.

The driver didn't notice him.

And he, for once in his highly-skilled observational career, didn't either.

Perhaps it was because at that point, he was no longer the phantom six man.

Who knows?

What was certain, was that it was a wordless goodbye.

And Aomine never attended the funeral.

Of course, he had heard about it, watched the regulars look down with solemn gloom for a couple of days before he completely stopped going to practice while Momoi wept and wept.

However, he said nothing: gave no opinion; said no words; no tears; nothing.

He simply forgot, just like his sorrow had wiped away all the joy he felt when playing basketball.

And even then, he did not curse himself, but the world.

.0.

In the club room, everything was spilling back. The horrors the accident that he had pushed away flooded his mind, leaving him in agony.

"I'm sorry, Aomine-kun, I'm sorry." Kuroko said repeatedly, his gentle words merely proving to sting him further.

How could he have done something so stupid? How could he forget about Kuroko altogether just to ease away his pain?

Ha.

Haha.

No. This was always what he had done.

From the start, he never understood Kuroko.

Aomine Daiki was selfish, so overwhelmingly selfish that he said those words to Kuroko, told him he was useless despite having always supported him-all for his own security.

At that time, he didn't know what to say, what to feel.

He was threatened by the fact that basketball was no longer fun for him. He was spiteful towards it always being fun to Kuroko, and attacked him for it—attacked everything he was worth.

He did something so cruel, and he couldn't even own up to it.

It left a bitter taste in his mouth. Yet somehow, he felt it suited himself perfectly.

He, from the start, was someone who only saw himself after all.

Ha.

Haha.

"Tetsu…sorry…I'm really…sorry." He whispered, voice brittle with regret.

"...Do you remember everything now?" Kuroko quietly asked.

Aomine nodded. "Sorry..." he uttered, as though it was a mantra.

There was nothing he could say, nothing he could possibly say as he repeated the same word, senses dulled and frozen.

Kuroko frowned. "…What are you sorry for Aomine-kun? It's not as though you're the one who ran me over."

Aomine bit his lip. "I know! But well-"

He realized he couldn't continue.

No.

No.

"Sorry" Wasn't what he really wanted to say.

He, despite being loud and rambunctious, could never express what he truly wanted to say.

_I 'm sorry, I didn't mean what I said. I didn't want you to leave. I wanted to continue those days. Forever._

How hard was it to say that?

He laughed.

Ah, as expected, he still couldn't say it.

What kind of person was he? "Damn it. What the hell is wrong with me? How can a person like me still be alive?" He choked out, disgusted with himself.

"Aomine-kun is amazing."

Aomine stopped.

"Aomine-kun is amazing. I told you I will always repeat it, didn't I?" Kuroko said with a small smile.

Aomine grounded his fists against the table.

"What are you talking about?!" He exploded. "How am I-"

"Aomine-kun is amazing. From the first day I met you, I've always thought that." Kuroko said.

His light parted his lips, about to say something but unable to, the unsaid words clogging his throat.

"You're amazing. You're the one who never gave up on me, made basketball fun for me, and always encouraged me. If it wasn't for you, Aomine-kun, I would've never become the phantom sixth man, something I am so proud of myself for. It was all thanks to Aomine-kun." He said tremulously.

Aomine shook his head.

Kuroko held it, firm yet gently. "It's true,that's why this whole time, I wanted to make you love basketball again."

Aomine gritted his teeth. Why, why did this person have to understand him so well? Why, why did he have to go to such lengths for him?

He did not care about Kuroko's feelings at all yet...

_Goddammit!_

"You're worth it,because you're my partner. That's why, Aomine-kun, please look at me."

His light upturned his head, forcing himself to look into those deep azure eyes, the other half of his soul.

"The days we spent together…did I get you to love basketball again?" Kuroko asked.

Aomine bit his lip, enough that blood spilled, mirroring his tormented emotions.

Ah, this time, Kuroko is saving him, going so far and even crossing death, to save him.

The memories flooded into his heart, of all the days, the endless hours they spent together in that place.

That place in the gym where basketballs resounded against hardwood floor, where shoes squeaked in alacrity, and where smiles stayed innocent and permanent.

It was the place where he loved basketball, a place where Kuroko was there.

He bit his lip.

"Yup. Basketball is fun. it always has been." He choked out, as though it was something so hard and painful to say.

"I'm glad, Aomine-kun." Kuroko whispered. "That's why, even though I know you'll be in pain, please listen to my selfish request. Keep playing."

"..."

Kuroko grew serious. "Aomine-kun, I can no longer save you."

"Save? What are you-"

"Aomine-kun, wanted someone to save you, to make things right again for you." Kuroko said in a thin voice, as though the words were hard for him to say. "I realized that...because I was the same. I wanted to quit basketball but, I told you, because I wanted you to save me back then."

Aomine widened his eyes.

Kuroko's gaze was firm, searching for the beautifully naive person he met all those seasons ago, the boy who could never understand his pain yet accept him , manage to give him the hope he could never find within himself.

And it pained him the most, to say, that he couldn't save him.

He could not make basketball fun for him. He never could.

Kuroko sucked in a breath.

"But, I've learned that, in the end, neither Momoi-san or I, or anyone else in the world can save you. The only one who can save you is you. You need to change Aomine-kun, only you can do that for yourself."

Aomine flinched, spine contracting with a likeness to a cornered animal, like that was the worst thing he could do for himself. "I tried! I tried to go to practice but, no one else tried around me!"

"Try harder. People who try hard will always be rewarded. "Kuroko said, mimicking his former words as the neck of shirt was tugged down, his whole body following, leaving him face to face with an enraged Aomine, teeth gritted with anger at his words.

"That's complete bull! Effort means nothing! Talent is all that there is!" Aomine cried, the beginning of all his anguish leaping up against his throat as Kuroko widened his eyes, clenched his teeth, and pushed Aomine away.

"Don't say that when you have never tried till your last breath!" Kuroko retorted, the sudden rise of his voice catching Aomine by surprise as Kuroko tore apart his light's hold, a sudden desperation not present in his voice before.

"Yes, you are right. You're talented. You're amazing. You are everything I wanted but couldn't be!"

Aomine glared. "Then you should understand right?! That because I'm so much better, unlike you, I can't ever hope to find someone better! "You don't understand, you're happier than I am!" He barked, repeating what he once said to him at the river.

This time however, Kuroko was dead.

Yet, he became far more animated than he ever had been.

This was his last chance.

His eyes immediately darkened. "That's wrong! It's true that you're talented, that you may be the best but, I've never thought of it like that! The only thing I thought was sad, was that you never understood what it was like to be me, what it was like to have to try!"

"Hah?!"

"For you, basketball had always been fun. For me, it was a gruelling hell each and every day. Because I knew that I would never get better and be like you. But, if you say that you are the same, that basketball is hell because what you want is never there, I can only say, we're not the same!" Kuroko cried, voice filled with the emotion he was once told to mask, for the sake of becoming a phantom-Aomine's shadow.

But he had long thrown away that role.

Don't tell me we're the same! Don't tell me you envy me! If you feel like even if you spend your whole youth on this with no avail, spend your whole you on it first before you say that to me!" He shouted, voice louder than anything Aomine had ever heard from him.

The lost teen stayed stoned, unable to formulate a retort as he gnashed his teeth and cried, "What? What's with you?! Why do you care to this extent!"

And Kuroko stared at him, body no longer alight with desperation. His lips trembled. "...Because I am dead." He whispered, tears streaked across his face for the first time.

One drop fell on a stunned Aomine.

"I...can never play with you again. I...can never play basketball again. For me, my possibiility is zero. Shooting stars won't change that."

"T-tetsu," Aomine began, immediately regretting everything he said.

Kuroko shook his head. "It's fine. it's something I have always known. I am dead. There is no hope for me but, for you, it's different. You...can still go on. So please, Aomine-kun, keep on trying, Or else, it will be too cruel for me and you."

Aomine grasped at his words, wanting to believe in them yet-he found himself too afraid to try.

"...But, what if I don-"

"I'll make it happen."

Aomine blinked. "Huh?"

"I will lend you a bit of the strength of a shadow, the persistence from wanting to prove the world wrong. When you feel like you can't go on, just close your eyes and I will give you the strength to go on. So please. Just one more time, believe in me, Aomine-kun."

Yet Aomine did not say a thing. With his head hung low, he knew their conversation had ended. Kuroko had said everything he wanted to say and everything was now up to home, up to whether he would believe in something as silly as mere words.

Aomine gritted his teeth.

"...I got it. I'll wait."

Kuroko smiled. "Thank you." He said, as Aomine stared at his pure blue eyes, who saw everything and accepted everything about him.

He felt a wave a guilt wash through him.

That wasn't enough. Not at all.

He had to say it, he had to.

"But, stay with me till that time." He began, surprising his partner.

"Aomine-kun..."

He gnashed his lip, blood tearing through as he quelled the ego that had compelled him to push his most precious thing away. "Because when you were with me, basketball was always fun."

There.

He said it.

_I want you to always be by my side._

A book slammed into his face.

Aomine yelped.

"THE HELL?!" He gaped, eyes settling upon a rather discontent Kuroko. It took him so much effort to say this too!

"I was with you? Aomine-kun, you're sure quick to forget about me." He frowned.

"Hah?"

"What made you think I'd leave? Don't you remember? I'm the book fairy."

"...What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, I'm here to retrieve and return a book." He reminded.

"Wasn't that a lie?"

"I never said that specifically." Kuroko dodged skillfully.

Aomine couldn't help but laugh. Kuroko immediately dispelled his gloom. "Heh, so what are you planning on doing?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

Kuroko smiled. "To return _The Heart_ to its rightful place." He said as he held out his fist towards his partner, waiting for him.

Aomine knew what to do.

He outstretched his fingers, as though reaching for him, before he clenched them into a fist, bumping Kuroko's.

It was their usual routine.

_An exchange of hearts._

"With this, I have returned_ The Heart_ to its rightful owner. Take good care of it alright? My heart that is," Kuroko smiled, the bitterness of all those months of loneliness, of fun, and innocence being reflected within.

"Mhn."

That was the only sound he made as the whole of Kuroko Tetsuya's existence poured into him, warming his cold heart.

And slowly, Kuroko Tetsuya disappeared, as if he was never there.

But Aomine thought differently, for could feel his distinct presence, lingering in his heart.

The heartbeat that regulated his, the shadow that kept his overwhelming light in check whenever he would lose heart. It would refresh him with the lingering warmth of faith.

That was when Aomine learned to endure, to open his eyes anew to the world, slicing through the blinding light with the blade of shadowy persistence.

The humility from losing too much, the pride from winning too much, all balanced as though there was two in one.

Perhaps there was since from the beginning, they swore they would always be together, though fate may have other plans.

In other worlds, even if they did not match, even if they became each other's enemy, hurt each other, and turned each other into stepping stones to greater heights, as long as there was basketball, Aomine knew Kuroko would be with him, from the sound of his heart.

That was the source of his strength, to once again, continue anew.

_ I will give you strength._

.0.

...

...

...Mhn.

Aomine's eyes cracked open to the bright morning sun.

He yawned as he took in the particles of light, invigorating him with life.

"..."

"..."

In the silence of the morning, a sudden thought came to him.

Ah, he had finally awoken from a long, long dream.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed!

Ps. The ending can be interpreted in two different ways. I wonder if you can tell the second XD


End file.
